CHANDLER, Ariz., July 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As
compute-intensive, vision-based systems are increasingly integrated
at the network edge, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are
quickly becoming a preferred flexible platform for next-generation
designs. In addition to requiring high bandwidth processing
capabilities, these intelligent systems are deployed in small form
factors with tight thermal and power constraints. To help
developers accelerate designs, Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:
MCHP), via its Microsemi subsidiary, today announced its Smart
Embedded Vision initiative that provides solutions for
designing intelligent machine vision systems with Microchip's
low-power PolarFire® FPGAs. With today's announcement,
Microchip extends its high-resolution smart embedded vision FPGA
offerings with new enhanced high-speed imaging interfaces, an
intellectual property (IP) bundle for image processing and an
expanded partner ecosystem.
The Smart Embedded Vision initiative provides a suite of FPGA
offerings that includes IP, hardware and tools for low-power, small
form factor machine vision designs across the industrial, medical,
broadcast, automotive, aerospace and defense markets. With the
launch of the initiative, Microchip has added the following to
further address design requirements for intelligent vision
systems:
- Serial Digital Interface (SDI) IP - Used to transport
uncompressed video data streams over coaxial cabling, this
interface comes in multiple speeds: HD-SDI (1.485 Gbps, 720p,
1080i), 3G-SDI (2.970 Gbps, 1080p60), 6G-SDI (5.94 Gbps, 2Kp30) and
12G-SDI (11.88 Gbps, 2Kp60).
- 1.5 Gbps per lane MIPI-CSI-2 IP – Typically used
in industrial cameras, MIPI-CSI-2 is a sensor interface that links
image sensors to FPGAs. The PolarFire family supports receive
speeds up to 1.5 Gbps per lane and transmit speeds up to 1 Gbps per
lane.
- 2.3 Gbps per lane SLVS-EC Rx – SLVS-EC Rx is an image
sensor interface IP supporting high-resolution cameras. Customers
can implement a two-lane or eight-lane SLVS-EC Rx FPGA core.
- Multi-rate Gigabit MAC - The PolarFire family can
support 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 Gbps speeds over an Ethernet PHY, enabling
the initiative to meet the need for Universal Serial 10 GE Media
Independent Interface (USXGMII) MAC
IP with auto-negotiation.
- 6.25 Gbps CoaXPress v1.1 Host and Device IP – CoaXPress
is a standard used in high performance machine vision, medical and
in industrial inspection. Aligned with the industry's roadmap for
the standard, Microchip will support CoaXPress v2.0, which doubles
the bandwidth to 12.5 Gbps.
- HDMI 2.0b - The HDMI IP
core today supports resolutions up to 4K at 60 fps transmit and 1080p at 60 fps
receive.
- PolarFire FPGA Imaging IP bundle - Features the
MIPI-CSI-2 and includes image processing IPs for edge detection,
alpha blending and image enhancement for color, brightness and
contrast adjustments.
- Expanded Partner Ecosystem – The Smart Embedded Vision
initiative introduces Kaya Instruments – which provides PolarFire
FPGA IP Cores for CoaXPress v2.0 and 10 GigE vision – to
Microchip's partner ecosystem. The ecosystem also includes
Alma Technology, Bitec and artificial intelligence
partner ASIC Design Services, which provides a Core Deep
Learning (CDL) framework that enables a power-efficient
Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based imaging and video platform
for embedded and edge computing applications.
"Providing a suite of IP and hardware offerings alongside our
partner ecosystem is essential to our clients' ability to innovate
while meeting their production schedules," said Shakeel Peera, vice president of product
marketing for the FPGA business unit at Microchip's Microsemi
subsidiary. "This is especially important because of the rapid
evolution of machine and computer vision, driven by the growing
adoption of AI, and the need to democratize edge-based vision
systems."
PolarFire FPGAs offer 30 to 50 percent lower total
power over competing Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM)-based
mid-range FPGAs. With family members ranging from 100K to 500K logic
elements (LEs), they provide five to 10 times lower static power,
making them ideal for a new range of compute-intensive edge
devices, including those deployed in thermally- and
power-constrained environments.
Development Tools
In addition to new high-speed
imaging IP cores and the PolarFire Imaging IP bundle, a new
MIPI-CSI2-based machine learning camera reference design is
available for smart embedded system implementations. Based on the
PolarFire FPGA imaging and video kit that uses inference algorithms
from Microchip partner ASIC Design Services, the reference design
is free for customers to evaluate. All Smart Embedded Vision
solutions are supported by the Libero® SoC Design Suite,
Microchip's comprehensive development tool.
Pricing and Availability
Available through the
Libero® SoC Design Suite, all IP can be
implemented on the PolarFire FPGA Video and Imaging Kit, the
evaluation platform for Smart Embedded Vision designs. The
following IP cores are available today:
- HD-SDI (1.485 Gbps, 720p, 1080i)
- 3G-SDI (2.970Gbps, 1080p60)
- MIPI-CSI-2
- Two-lane SLVS-EC Rx FPGA core
- 6.25 Gbps CoaXPress v1.1
- HDMI 2.0 4k at 60 fps transmit
and 1080p at 60 fps receive
The following IP cores will be added progressively, with all
cores supported by the end of 2019:
- · 6G-SDI (5.94 Gbps, 2Kp30)
- · 12G-SDI (11.88 Gbps, 2Kp60)
- · USXGMII MAC
- · Eight-lane SLVS-EC Rx
- · 6.25 Gbps CoaXPress v2.0
- · HDMI 2.0b 4K at 60 fps receive
PolarFire Imaging IP Bundle is available for $1,499 and the MPF300-VIDEO-KIT is available for
$999. For more information and to
purchase products mentioned here, visit or contact
sales.support@microsemi.com.
Resources
High-res images available through Flickr or
editorial contact (feel free to publish):
- Application image:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/48235021452
About Microchip Technology
Microchip Technology Inc.
is a leading semiconductor supplier of smart, connected and secure
embedded control solutions. Its easy-to-use development tools and
comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal
designs which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time
to market. The company's solutions serve more than 125,000
customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace
and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in
Chandler, Arizona, Microchip
offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery
and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at
www.microchip.com.
Note: The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo,
PolarFire and Libero are registered trademarks of Microchip
Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other
trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective
companies.
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SOURCE Microchip Technology Inc.